Prototypes

A prototype of Apple's ill-fated AirPower wireless charger has been seen charging an Apple Watch for the first time. ‌AirPower‌ was an Apple-designed charging mat designed to charge Qi-based iPhones, the Apple Watch, and ‌AirPods‌ that the company announced in September 2017 alongside the iPhone X. ‌AirPower‌ was designed so that users could place an ‌‌iPhone‌‌, ‌AirPods‌, and Apple...

Images of an Apple Watch band designed to celebrate former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive's 50th birthday have emerged online, providing a look at what could be one of the rarest official Apple Watch bands ever made. The images come from "Stella Fudge" on X (formerly Twitter), who claims that the unit is one of just ten prototypes made to test the unusual product before the finalized one...

Images purporting to reveal the original version of Apple's MagSafe charger today surfaced online, providing a look at how the company conceived of the accessory over two and a half years before its release. The images, shared by the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami," claim to show the original version of the ‌MagSafe‌ charger that Apple considered launching. The...

Images of an Alpine Loop prototype designed for a black Apple Watch Ultra model today surfaced online, supporting rumors that Apple had plans to release a darker version of the device last year. Prior to the release of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, multiple rumors suggested that Apple had plans to release a new darker color option that was originally tested for the previous model but ultimately...

A functional AirPower prototype from early on in its development has exhibited some of the severe thermal problems, including burning or melting devices placed on the charging pad, that ultimately led Apple to abandon the project. AirPower was an Apple-designed charging mat designed to charge Qi-based iPhones, the Apple Watch, and ‌AirPods‌ that Apple announced in September 2017 alongside...

Apple planned to offer the MagSafe Charger in eight different color options around 2020, the prototype collector known as "Kosutami" claims. MacRumors is told that Apple prototyped the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger in Space Gray, Starlight, Green, Pink, Purple, Yellow, Blue, and (PRODUCT)RED color options. The Yellow, Blue, and (PRODUCT)RED variants, in particular, were apparently highly saturated,...

Apple prototyped versions of the AirPods' charging case in five different color options to match the iPhone 7, according to the prototype collector known as "Kosutami." The first-generation AirPods in "Pink," intended to match the Rose Gold ‌iPhone‌ 7. Images shared with MacRumors and posted on Twitter earlier today show a first-generation AirPods casing in a pink colorway. It continues to...

Images of an unreleased Apple MagSafe charging accessory called the "Apple Magic Charger" have surfaced online over the past couple of weeks. Image via @TheBlueMister Rare Apple product collector and Twitter user "TheBlueMister" first shared images of the unreleased accessory earlier this month. Since then, other collectors based in Asia seem to have got their hands on Design Validation Test...

A hands-on video of an Apple AirPower prototype from 2017 has today been shared on YouTube, providing a closer look at Apple's short-lived wireless charging device. The deep dive into the ‌AirPower‌ prototype comes from a collaboration by YouTube channels 91Tech and Apple Demo, who acquired an Apple ‌AirPower‌ prototype. ‌AirPower‌ was an Apple-designed charging mat designed to charge...

Images of a prototype Apple MagSafe Battery Pack have today been shared online, revealing a look at the iPhone accessory from when it was in internal development. The images, which come from Twitter account @ArchiveInternal, show a prototype version of Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack which differs from the final retail version of the Battery Pack in a number of ways. The prototype features a...

Images of transparent prototype AirPods and a 29W Apple power adapter have been shared on Twitter by Apple device collector Giulio Zompetti. The prototypes, which appear to be either first-generation or second-generation AirPods, feature clear plastic along the stem and around the outer side of the earbud, with the normal white plastic on the inner side of the earbud. Transparent casings are ...

A video of a seemingly functional AirPower prototype has been shared on Twitter by Apple device collector Giulio Zompetti, in what appears to be a first-of-its-kind look at the elusive charger in action. AirPower pic.twitter.com/bv8gi0NiiL— Giulio Zompetti (@1nsane_dev) August 5, 2021 The video shows a unique on-screen iOS animation when the iPhone is placed on the ‌AirPower‌ charging mat, ...

Apple may have tested "Smart Bands" for the Apple Watch, according to a new image of a prototype device. The image, shared by developer and prototype collector Giulio Zompetti, shows two metal contacts inside an Apple Watch Series 3 prototype's band slot, either side of the diagnostic port. Zompetti postulated that the "two unusual pads are exposed to the band," and may be a kind of...

Apple prototyped models of the first-generation iPad with two ports for expanded docking options, according to images of a prototype unit. Shared on Twitter by Apple device collector Giulio Zompetti, the images reinforce previous reports that Apple was planning to offer two 30-pin connector ports on the original ‌iPad‌, with one on the base below the Home Button, and one on the left-hand...

With the launch of the iPhone 7 in 2016, Apple debuted a new "Jet Black" color, which was a glossy, shiny finish that was a departure from the standard brushed aluminum finishes of the iPhones that preceded it. Jet Black was unique because of how dark it was in comparison to other "black" and "space gray" finishes at the time. Apple hasn't used the same Jet Black finish for another phone to...

Developer Giulio Zompetti, who often shows off prototype versions of Apple devices, today highlighted a prototype version of the iPhone 12 Pro. The ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro is running an operating system called SwitchBoard, a nonUI version of the iOS 14 update that Apple uses internally. We've seen SwitchBoard on prototype devices before, as Apple uses it to test new features. Zompetti's prototype ‌...

Twitter user @DongleBookPro has shared images of a prototype Macintosh Classic with a translucent casing. The final retail Macintosh Classic used an iconic beige plastic, so it is rare to see one with a clear casing. This allows it to show off many of the Macintosh's internal parts, such as its nine-inch CRT monitor. It also highlights just how much empty space there was within the...

Amid rumors that Apple is continuing to work on some kind of wireless charging mat after the failure of the AirPower, 9to5Mac has shared a video said to depict an Apple "magnetic wireless charger prototype." The charger is a flat white disc with some kind of connector at the back, which appears to allow it to attach to another device. The circular shape resembles the Qi-based wireless...

Images of what appears to be an original Apple Watch prototype in its security case have been shared online by Twitter user @AppleDemoYT. The photos show a prototype stainless steel Apple Watch concealed within a silicone security case, marked with a redacted serial number. Apple usually transports its prototype and testing units in thick protective cases that are intended to mislead and...

Twitter user @DongleBookPro has today shared images of a prototype first-generation Mac mini with a built-in dock for an iPod nano. The images show a first-generation ‌Mac mini‌ with a 30-pin dock connector cutout on the top for an iPod nano. Otherwise, the computer appears to be virtually identical to the version that came to market in 2005. These types of docks were more commonly seen on...